In the design of carriers for high-power chips, so-called high-power chip carriers, such as are used, for example, for light emitting diode systems having high brightness, so-called high-brightness LED systems or HB LED systems, thermal management, luminous efficiency and lifetime are becoming more and more important. Efficient thermal management makes it possible to utilize the power reserves of the light emitting diodes, LEDs for short. In this case, the thermal performance of the LED carrier plays a crucial part in the overall system. High thermal conductivities of the carrier material that are greater than 100 W/mK are desired in HB LED applications. Further components for protecting the circuit arrangement can likewise be provided on the carrier.
One important requirement made of the carrier is, moreover, that the component acting as a heat source is positioned as near as possible to the heat sink element at the carrier underside, which requires a thin embodiment of the carrier of usually less than 500 μm. Moreover, an electrical insulation that is usually intended to fulfill a dielectric strength of 3000 V is desired between the heat source and the heat sink element.
Usually, the heat source or the component acting as a heat source is positioned at the top side of the carrier and the heat sink element is arranged at the underside of the carrier body, good heat dissipation from the heat source to the heat sink element being desired.
Hitherto, the LEDs and protective components, for example, a TVS element (transient voltage suppressor element or suppressor diode), have been constructed on a ceramic carrier comprising materials from the group AlOx, AN, for example, or a silicon carrier, the LED being placed onto the planar carrier surface. This is a so-called level 1 system comprising LED and a carrier and also a protective component. If the level 1 system is mounted onto a further carrier, this is referred to as a level 2 system.